Where Music meets Film and Pop Culture

April 10, 2014

Cypher Sessions Presents: QuickSix Series #3!!!

Hello there Cypher Sessions readers, there has been a lot going on for Cypher Sessions and it is time to start sharing all of that hard work with all of you. This leads us to the beginning of many more posts in the coming weeks and months, and it is with great excitement that we bring you the third installment of our QuickSix Series, with a very talented artist. The QuickSix series initially was set up to interview and explore artists that are outside of Hip Hop; however, there are plenty of people within Hip Hop that are working extremely hard, and we wanted to highlight their dedication and hustle within their own work as well. This next artist we are talking about is a born and bred artist from the city of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia, PA known as Kev Turner. His raw lyrics and soulful cuts had us head nodding from the first track we heard. We caught up with the hard-working Philly MC for an interview, as follows:

1. What is it in Philadelphia that growing up inspired you to begin creating music, and what musical influences growing up shaped your musical tastes?

Philadelphia is a very soulful city. It is the inspiration behind all of my music, especially Soul City Music 1 & 2. I grew up in West Philly and hip hop was a way for me to stand out as far as being somebody known in the streets. I knew that if I got good at rapping that I could stand out and be known as one of the best rappers in my neighborhood. I was musically influenced by the music my parents played around the house-Motown & R&B mostly. Then, as hip hop began to blow up on a larger scale I was influenced by a lot of local Philly talent like DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, 3xdope, Cool C, The Roots, The Youngstas, 100x, Ram Squad, etc.

I really don’t have any obstacles per say that I face when creating musical content. Staying creative and original at times can be a bit challenging but it isn’t impossible. I usually sit back and analyze whatever mainstream hip hop music sounds like at any given time, and try to do the opposite. Or sometimes I’ll do what the mainstream does but in my own Kev Turner kind of way. I just try to be different at all times when creating music. I don’t want to sound like anybody else because I’m not them.

3. Is there a topic that you have rapped about but feel like should be addressed by other artists more in Hip Hop?

No. There isn’t a topic that I have rapped about that I feel like should be addressed by other artists more in hip hop. Hip hop is such a wide spectrum and I feel like everyone is entitled to say whatever is on their mind. With that being said though, I do feel like rappers need to make more positive songs about women. It’s too often that women are not empowered in music and made to just feel like sexual objects. I mean by all means if a woman acts a certain way and the shoe fits she should definitely wear it but we as male rappers have mothers, aunts, daughters, grandmothers, nieces, etc. so we should keep that in mind when making a vulgar song about women that they might hear. I’m guilty as well so I’m not being judgmental, I’m just saying.

4. Also, is there a topic that you haven’t covered or would like to cover but haven’t yet?

There are too many topics to name that I haven’t touched on yet that I would like to. The music usually decides what I write so when I hear those beats to make me touch on those topics, I will do so.

5. Outside of Hip Hop and music, what else would you like to help create and work on?

I’m a techie so I have a few computer plans up my sleeve that I would like to work on or have worked on slightly already. I would like to create my own school that teaches computer illiterate people of all ages the basics of computers like computer maintenance, computer hardware, and computer software. You would be surprised in this technology-based age that we live in, how many people still don’t know how to use a computer properly. I have other things I would like to create but I am still working out the ideas.

6. What advise would you give readers out there just starting to create their own music? Also, what can we expect next from Kev Turner?

As far as advice for readers starting to create their own music, just stick to your guns. Convince yourself that you are as good as if not better than everybody else that does what you are doing. If you don’t believe in you, nobody else will. Also, don’t be scared to “fail”. There’s no such thing as failure unless you don’t try at all. That’s when you have really failed. As far as what’s next for me, more music! Soul City Music 2 will be released in the next few months. I am also working on projects with J-Slant, Jay Ellyiot, and MaschineMasters.com. I will also be releasing an EP or album very soon that will be entirely produced by me. Thank You for choosing to interview me. I appreciate the opportunity & support. Peace

There you have it, straight from the source. You can check out Kev Turner on Soundcloud, BandCamp, and follow him on Twitter (@KevTurner215). That is going to do it for us on this edition of Cypher Sessions, we hope that you enjoyed getting to know a little bit more about an artist we’re digging, and we hope you learn about as well. Until next time, thank you for reading and make sure to check back soon for new content, ideas, and all around Hip Hop-ness. Peace.